Adult Education
By removing barriers to employment, El Sol’s Adult Education Program empowers people to improve their financial self-sufficiency and economic freedom for themselves and their families.
Literacy
El Sol offers evening classes in English as a Second Language, computer, financial, and adult literacy. English conversation classes are offered in the morning in the labor hall for workers waiting to find work. Many of our clients don’t read or write or did not finish even an elementary-level education in their home country. Plazas Comunitarias, a literacy program in Spanish, which allows students to finish their basic primary or secondary level education is taught in the evening. Students may also prep to take their GED.
Maria's Story
Maria, 23 years old, migrated to the USA in 2017. She worked as a babysitter to help her family’s finances. Seated at her church for Sunday Mass, Maria heard an announcement about El Sol’s GED Prep Program. Her dream to go to college became a possibility when she began to take GED classes in September of 2019. When the COVID-19 pandemic spread around the world in March 2020 and El Sol adult literacy programming went online, Maria continued attending classes online without skipping a beat. Maria’s ambition is what drives her to do what it takes to meet her educational goals.
In December 2021, Maria was a member of the first group of five El Sol’s GED Prep Program students who earned their GED Diploma.
Worker Development
El Sol’s Worker Development Program is a suite of training opportunities that include: 1-2 day in-house workshops, full semester on-site courses, free online classes, one-on-one career counseling, and scholarship opportunities to study for career certificates at such partner institutions as Palm Beach State College.
The philosophy of our program is to meet students where they are, while providing continual opportunities for growth as they progress with us. Our goal is to help students become more self-sufficient and confident as they pursue their career paths. Our students are adult learners from a variety of educational backgrounds and individual circumstances.
Our current educational offerings and services currently include, but are not limited to:
- In-House Workshops (Topics: Cleaning, Painting, Bicycle Repair, Tile Installation, Hurricane Shutters & Prep, General Maintenance & Light Construction, & more)
- In-House Sewing Program (Basic & Advanced Classes – Open to All; Saturday Sewing Alterations)
- In-House Kitchen Training Program (Includes ServSafe Food Handler Training & Exam)
- NCCER Construction Trades Certificates – at Palm Beach State College, Lake Worth Campus (Scholarships Available)
- Free Online Courses (taught in Spanish, 150+ topics)
- One-on-One Career Counseling (Resume Review, Job Application Assistance, External Program Enrollment Guidance, Job Search Navigation, Budgeting, Social Media Competence, etc.)
Interested in sharing a skill you have with our community? Please contact Worker Development Coordinator, Kate Layton, at kate.layton@friendsofelsol.org with inquiries.